Archbishop of Canterbury meets Anglican priest from West Bank

Fr Fadi Diab with Archbishop Justin Welby at Lambeth Palace today.

Source: Lambeth Palace

Archbishop Justin Welby today (16 March 2024) met with the Reverend Fadi Diab, Rector of St Andrew's Anglican Church in Ramallah, Palestine, in Lambeth Palace.

After the meeting the Archbishop issued this statement:

'I was delighted to meet today with my brother in Christ, the Reverend Fadi Diab, the Anglican priest from St Andrew's Ramallah in Palestine.

In listening to him I heard again how the war in Gaza has upended life in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and created untold misery and suffering to thousands of families.

Roadblocks, closures and the suspension of work permits have pushed countless families into poverty.

The withholding of tax receipts to the Palestinian Authority has pushed basic services and critical infrastructure to the edge of collapse.

The arming of settlers in the illegal settlements of the West Bank has intensified violence and contributed to a level of death and destruction not seen since the Second Intifada.

The senseless killing of Rami Hamdan Al Halhouli, a 12-year-old Palestinian boy in East Jerusalem earlier this week, underlines all that is wrong with this cruel and horrific war.

A 12-year-old holding a firework is not a terrorist but simply an innocent child holding a firework. There is no justification for his death.

This war and its killing needs to end and it needs to end now. All hostages need to be released. Immediate and unrestricted aid must be secured to address the famine-like conditions in Gaza.

I give thanks to the ministry of Father Fadi Diab at this critical time, and I pray that God will guide and watch over him, the wider Diocese of Jerusalem, and all Christian churches as they provide comfort and support to those most in need.'

Rev Diab is on a short visit to England. This afternoon he spoke at the Catholic parish of Our Lady Help of Christians in Kentish Town, north London. On Sunday, 17 March, he will be preaching at Southwark Anglican Cathedral at 9am and 11am.

The talk will be broadcast live on Southwark Cathedral Facebook page. The livestream will be available to watch for one week.

Fr Diab is Chair of the Holy Land Committee of Friends of the Holy Land.

Report coming soon here on ICN.

LINK

Friends of the Holy Land: www.friendsoftheholyland.org.uk/